[http://www.ala.org/midwinter ALA's 2014 Midwinter Meeting] is January 24-28 in Philadelphia.

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'''Registration'''

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Bundled registration for both ALA's Annual and Midwinter conferences will open September 9, 2013.

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[http://alamw14.ala.org/register-now Bundled registration] for both ALA's Annual and Midwinter conferences will open September 9, 2013.

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[http://alamw14.ala.org/rates Early Bird registration]and housing for Midwinter will open October 1, 2013. Early bird registration closes November 6.

[http://alamw14.ala.org/rates Early Bird registration]and housing for Midwinter will open October 1, 2013. Early bird registration closes November 6.

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The majority of the conference will take place in the [http://www.paconvention.com/Pages/default.aspx Pennsylvania Convention Center], but there are also some sessions at various hotels, depending on the unit sponsoring them. Detailed location information for sessions will be available in November when the Scheduler opens.

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'''Convention Center Information'''

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The majority of the conference will take place in the [http://www.paconvention.com/Pages/default.aspx Pennsylvania Convention Center] located at 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107. Some sessions will be held at various hotels, depending on the unit sponsoring them. Detailed location information for sessions will be available in November when the Scheduler opens.

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Driving directions and parking information can be found on the [http://www.paconvention.com/explore-philadelphia/directions-and-parking/Pages/directions-and-parking.aspx Pennsylvania Convention Center website].

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'''New Mothers' Room'''

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ALA will provide a facility for new mothers in the convention center at a location TBD.

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'''Roommates'''

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If you are looking for a roommate for Midwinter, please leave your information here:

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'''Shuttles at ALA Chicago'''

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A free shuttle will run from the convention center to many of the official ALA hotels.

==<b>Selected YALSA Events</b>==

==<b>Selected YALSA Events</b>==

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Please check back often for updates!</b>

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Additional information about select YALSA Events can be found on the [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/midwinter.cfm YALSA web site].

*<b>YALSA Research Forum, 3:00-4:00pm</b> This session introduces an ongoing project of the YALSA Research Committee on curating existing data sets about the lives of young people, and connecting these topics - social media, health, education, literacy, college preparation, and others - to YA library services. Following some brief sharing on the project, participants will gather in break-out groups to explore ways this research relates to young adult programs and services. The session will conclude with a group debriefing.

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Get started early at ''Taking Teen Services to the Next Level,'' YALSA's [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/midwinter.cfm#teen <b>full-day institute</b> on advocacy] at the Marriot Hotel, Liberty Ballroom C! Lunch is included. You do not need to register for Midwinter to attend this event. Fees to attend this institute are: YALSA Members, Students and Retirees: $100; ALA Members: $125; Nonmembers: $150

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'''Saturday, January 25'''

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After the institute, head to [http://www.mcgillins.com/ McGillin's Olde Ale House] at 1310 Drury Lane for the <b>YALSA Happy Hour</b> from 5 to 7 PM. Enjoy drink specials, mingle with other YALSA members, and win cool YALSA swag (the Student Interest Group will meet at the Ale House concurrently).

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*<b>Selection Committee Chair Leadership Development</b> '''8:00am, breakfast, meeting 8:30-10am.''' This is a leadership training session for YALSA's Selection & Award Committee Chairs. All current and out-going Selection & Award Committee Chairs are expected to attend. In-coming Selection & Award Committee Chairs are welcome to attend, but are not required to do so. Directors on YALSA's Board are also expected to attend. Never been a Selection or Award Committee Chair, but thinking about being one? Come to this event to learn the leadership basics for these particular types of committees.

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It's back! ''<b>YALSA's Gaming Extravaganza</b>'' will be held from 8-10PM at the Loews hotel Millennium Hall. This three year old event promises a [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/midwinter.cfm#gaming night full of gaming and entertainment]. (We'll also be announcing the winners of our [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/avatar.pdf Create Your Own Avatar contest].)Tickets cost $40, although you don't need to register for Midwinter to attend. Anyone can participate in the avatar contest, whether they are able to attend the event or not.

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*<b>YALSA 201, 8:30-10am</b> Are you a YALSA member who's familiar with the basic programs, services and opportunities that the organization has to offer? Are you interested in becoming more involved in the association or are you ready to step up to a leadership position? If so, this event is designed for you! Come learn how to be more involved!

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*<b>Best Fiction for Young Adults Teen Session, 1:00pm-3:00pm</b> Come hear local Philadelphia area teens talk about their favorite picks for the 2014 BFYA list.

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'''Saturday, January 12'''

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<b>Leadership Development</b> Saturday 8AM to 10AM, Loews hotel, Millennium Hall. This is a working meeting for YALSA's Committee, Jury and Taskforce Chairs. Never been a Chair, but thinking about being one? Come to this event. A continental breakfast will be served from 8:00 to 8:30, compliments of Teen Tech Week and Tutor.com.

<b>All Committee</b> meeting Saturday 10AM - 12:30 PM, Loews hotel, Millennium Hall. This is a working meeting for all of YALSA's Process Committees, Juries and Taskforces. Not on a commmittee or other member group? Stop on by and learn what it's all about. A continental breakfast will be served compliments of Teen Tech Week and Tutor.com.

*<b>Digital Badges Update: A New Way to Learn & Show What you Know, 8:30 - 10:00 AM,</b> This session will show you how the YALSA's Badges for Librarians professional development system works. You'll find out exactly how you can virtually earn badges that connect with YALSA's Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth. You'll also see how you can display your badges on resumes, Facebook pages, and other social networks so that employers, colleagues, and others can easily see what skills you have.

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'''Monday, January 14'''

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It's the most exciting day in youth literature, as the annual ''<b>Youth Media Awards</b>'' are announced, from 8-9:15 AM (eastern) Monday morning in the convention center, ballrooom B. Be there to find out who wins the ninth annual [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/printzaward/Printz.cfm Printz Award] for excellence, the twentieth [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/margaretaedwards/margaretedwards.cfm Edwards Award] for lifetime achievement, the eleventh [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/alexawards/alexawards.cfm Alex Awards], honoring the top ten adult book with youth appeal and the first annual [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/odyssey/odyssey.cfm Odyssey Award] for excellence in audiobook production for youth. Can't make it? Watch the event live via webcast from [http://www.unikron.com/clients/ala-webcast-2008 http://www.unikron.com/clients/ala-webcast-2008]

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*<b>Coffee with the Candidates, 10:30 - 11:30 AM </b> Meet and mingle with the candidates who are on the ballot for the 2013 election, including President-Elect and Board of Directors at Large. Candidates will have the opportunity to talk about why they want to serve on YALSA's Board of Directors and attendees will have the chance to mingle with the candidates and ask questions. Light refreshments and door prizes.

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Finish the day at the <b>Joint Youth Division Member Reception</b> from 6:00 to 7:30 at the Marriott Courtyard's Grand Ballroom. Light refreshments will be served. Cash bar.

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*<b>Stand Up, Speak Up, Level Up With YALSA's Advocacy Benchmarks, 1:00-2:30pm</b> Come learn about YALSA's new advocacy benchmarks and give the team developing the materials feedback on what they've put together. The Benchmarks are geared to anyone working with teens in libraries and provide ideas for beginning advocates, advocates with a bit of practice, and those who have a lot of experience in teen advocacy. Come to the session with your own examples and ideas of what you need in order to be a better advocate for teens in your community.

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==<b>Information for Committee/Jury/Taskforce Chairs</b>==

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*<b>A New Vision for Library Services for Teens: Findings from the Forum on Libraries and Teens, 4:30 - 5:30 PM</b> YALSA’s IMLS-funded National Forum on Teens and Libraries was a year-long effort that brought together key stakeholders from the areas of libraries, education, technology, adolescent development and the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to explore the world of young adults and library services for and with this population. This session will discuss the findings from this process and provide an overview of how libraries need to adapt to better meet the needs of 21st century teens.

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Pre-conference reports are due December 10th. They can be submitted via the [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/aboutyalsa/preconference.cfm online form] on the YALSA web site.

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If your member group would like to host a conference program for the ALA Annual Conference in 2009 in Chicago, please submit a [http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/aboutyalsa/yalsaform.cfm Form A] by no later than January 14, 2008.

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<b>Monday January 27 </b><br>

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All Committee will be held from 10:00 to 12:00 on January 12th. A continental breakfast will be served from 10:00 to 10:30 and the meeting portion of the event will begin promptly at 10:30.

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*It's the most exciting day in youth literature, as the annual ''<b>Youth Media Awards</b>'' are announced, from 8-9:15 AM (eastern) Monday morning. Be there to find out who wins the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/printz-award Printz Award] for literary excellence, the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/edwards-award Edwards Award] for for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature, the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/alex-awards Alex Awards], honoring the top ten adult book with youth appeal, the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/morris-award Morris] award honoring a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens, [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/nonfiction-award YALSA's Nonfiction Award] for excellence in nonfiction, and the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/odyssey-award Odyssey Award] for excellence in audiobook production for youth.

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===Committee/Jury/Taskforce Chair Preparation===

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*'''Be sure yo get your ticket for the Morris & Nonfiction Award Program & Presentation from 10:30 AM to noon'''.

Come celebrate the 2014 honorees and winners for the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/morris Morris Award] and [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/nonfiction YA Nonfiction Award]! Enjoy coffee, tea and danish and listen to the winners and finalists speak about their honored titles. After the speeches, mingle with the authors and pick up free copies of their books. The Morris finalists and Nonfiction finalists were announced the first week of December. Tickets are $19 and include a continental breakfast and 3-5 free books, generously donated by the publishers. Purchase your ticket via the ALA [http://alamw14.ala.org/ticketed-events web site].

YALSA will host a [http://www.ala.org/teentechweek Teen Tech Week] booth #439 in the exhibit hall. Stop by to say hi, get your member ribbon and to find resources to help you plan great DIY activities in your library. To learn more about the exhibit hall, visit ALA's [http://alamw14.ala.org/general-exhibits-info web site].

YALSA's Board of Directors has three meetings at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Board meetings are open meetings and any individual who is registered for the conference may sit in on the meetings. The first 10 minutes of each meeting are set aside for visitors and board members to use as an 'open forum' where anyone can share information, ask questions, etc. The meeting schedule is as follows:

The Board agenda and documents are finalized two weeks prior to the conference and posted [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/board/documents online]. Anyone interested in viewing the agenda for the Board meeting, as well as the documents that accompany the agenda items, may view or download them from the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/governance Governance] section of the YALSA web site. To learn about past Board meetings and actions, visit the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/governance Governance page] on YALSA's web site to read the minutes from past meetings. If you have questions about governance matters or want to share an idea, comment or question, please feel free to contact YALSA's[http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/board/yalsaboardmembers President], or [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/workingwithyalsa/board/yalsaboardmembers Beth Yoke]. To stay up to date on the latest governance and Board issues, check out [http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/ the YALSAblog]. The President will post regular updates during and after the Midwinter Meeting.

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==<b>Awards & Selected Lists Announcements</b>==

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Meetings of the Board of Directors are open to all members in good standing who wish to listen and observe proceedings. Members are asked to respect the fact that directors have an agenda to discuss and there may not be time for new business. Members are welcome to sit in the chairs around the perimeter of the room so that directors can be seated together for conversing and vote tallies. Members are welcome to share their comments, ideas, requests, etc. during the “Information Forum” that begins each meeting. If there are a number of guests wanting to speak, it may be necessary to set time limits for speaking. Members may not introduce new topics or speak during the board's general business, unless called upon by the President for input.

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YALSA's 2008 Awards and Selected Lists will be announced at ALA's Youth Media Awards Press Conference beginning at 7:45 AM (eastern) on Monday January 14 (Ballroom B, Pennsylvania Convention Center. The event can be viewed for free live as [http://www.unikron.com/clients/ala-webcast-2008/ a webcast]; you can begin logging in at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, January 14. A limited number of spots are open, so log in early. To view the list of nominations for YALSA's Selected Lists from the [http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists YALSA web site's Awards & Booklists page].

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===Text Message Award Results to Your Cell Phone===

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==YALSA Online at Conference==

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Youth Media Awards results available in real time on your cell phone!

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*The official hashtag for the conference is #alamw14. When tweeting about YALSA at the conference, be sure to add @yalsa as well

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*The [http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/ YALSAblog] will cover some events at the conference. For Tweets related to YALSA's book awards, please use #yma

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Unable to attend the 2008 ALA Youth Media Awards or sit in on the live Webcast Monday, Jan. 14th? Get award winners sent directly to your cell phone by text message - as it happens - for free, beginning at 7:45 a.m. EST. The American Library Association is making results available at the touch of your fingertips through two subscriptions, offering limited and complete results, respectively. <br>

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==YALSA Office Area & Staff On-Site==

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*ALA provides an office area to all units where members can go to get badge ribbons, fliers, etc. Location TBD.

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*Staff are typically not in the office area, but are assisting with the various member programs and meetings.

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Text the word “ALA 5” to 32075 in the U.S. and Canada to receive notification of the winners of the following five awards, one text message per award: <br>

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==ALA Events of Interest==

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Please feel free to add items below:

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*Newbery Medal

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==<b>Local Information</b> ==

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*Caldecott Medal

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Philadelphia area YALSA members: please help us out and add your favorites below!

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*Coretta Scott King Awards

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*Michael L. Printz Award

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*Pura Belpré Award

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You will receive 5 text messages for this subscription, winners only. <br>

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'''Dining Options near the Convention Center'''

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For complete results, text the word “ALA 13” to 32075 in the U.S. and Canada to receive notification of the winners of all 13 Youth Media Awards, including the five previously mentioned and the following, one text message per award: <br>

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[http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/ Reading Terminal Market](12th St. & Arch St.)Philadelphia's historic farmer's market is home to a wide variety of merchants. Highlights include DiNic's for their famous roast pork sandwiches and Bassett's Ice Cream.

Results will be limited to the winners. To review the full list of honorable and notable mentions, visit www.ilovelbraries.org. The 2008 award winners will be announced Monday, January 14, starting at 7:45 a.m. EST. A live Webcast of the award announcements will be available on a first-come, fist-served basis; visit http://www.unikron.com/clients/ala-webcast-2008/ for details. The awards press release will be posted online by 10 a.m. EST at www.ilovelibraries.org.

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Disclaimers: When you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation text message. If you do not receive the confirmation message, you are not subscribed. You must have a text / SMS enabled cell phone to participate in this service. Normal text message charges may apply. ALA is not responsible for any charges incurred from your cell phone provider to subscribe to or receive notices from this service. This is a one-time only subscription. Your cell phone number will not be used for any other purpose and the subscription list will be disabled at the close of the ALA Youth Media Awards presentation.

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'''Chinatown'''

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==ALA Events of Interest==

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The Pennsylvania Convention Center is just down the street from Philadelphia's [http://www.philadelphia-chinatown.info/chinatown-restaurants.html Chinatown neighborhood]. Be sure to visit for lots of dining options!

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*ALA is working on a re-design of the ALA web site. Two possible designs can be viewed at kiosks in the registration area, and individuals can provide feedback via a survey on site.

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'''13th St. between Chestnut St. and Walnut St.'''

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Take a walk through this neighborhood to discover some fun dining options. These are some of our favorites.

Holly Black, author of the Spiderwick Chronicles and the Modern Tale of Faerie series, will be signing in the YALSA booth on Saturday afternoon, courtesy Simon & Schuster on Saturday, Jan. 12 from 1-2 p.m. The first 60 attendees will get a free copy of one of Black's books!

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'''Things to see and do in Philadelphia'''

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Enter for a chance to win $50 worth of Teen Tech Week materials from ALA Graphics or a basket of goodies from Dungeons & Dragons.

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Be sure to check out [http://www.visitphilly.com/ VisitPhilly.com] for some great tips on what to see while you're here, including where to get [http://www.visitphilly.com/articles/philadelphia/top-10-spots-for-authentic-philly-cheesesteaks/ the best cheesesteaks].

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==Other Events==

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Want to see it all? [http://www.visitphilly.com/tours/philadelphia/philadelphia-city-pass/ Philadelphia CityPASS] might be for you. It offers discounted admission to some of Philadelphia's most popular attractions, including The Franklin Institute, Adventure Aquarium, Philadelphia Trolley Works & The Big Bus Company, Philadelphia Zoo or National Constitution Center, and Eastern State Penitentiary or Please Touch Museum.

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Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing cordially invites you to a special reception during the ALA Midwinter Conference

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in honor of the forthcoming film The Spiderwick Chronicles, coming to theatres February 15, 2008! *

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Friday, January, 11, 2008 Brasserie Perrier

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[http://libwww.freelibrary.org/branches/branch.cfm?loc=CEN Free Library of Philadelphia] (1901 Vine St.) Take a tour of the Parkway Central Library located in the beautiful Beaux-Arts building and sneak a peek at their [http://libwww.freelibrary.org/rarebooks/ Rare Book Department.]

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5:30-7:00 p.m. 1619 Walnut St. Philadelphia

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==Tips for Making the Most of Conference Once You're Home==

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Please RSVP to laura.antonacci@simonandschuster.com or 212-698-2713

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*Write up a summary of what you learned at the conference and share it with your supervisor. Offer to present a session or workshop on a particular topic to your co-workers.

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*Organize any materials that you collected at the conference. Share the information with co-workers, as appropriate.

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*Make a list of the new things you learned at the conference and write down one strategy for each idea that outlines how you’ll incorporate what you learned in your daily work.

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*Follow up with any vendors of interest who offered special discounts at the conference.

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*Follow up with any new contacts you made at the conference by sending a brief email and/or labeling and filing any business cards you collected.

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*Visit [http://presentations.ala.org http://presentations.ala.org] to view and/or download any materials you may have missed from some of the programs at the conference.

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*Distribute any books, ARCs, or other materials you collected at the conference to your Teen Advisory or Book Discussion groups.

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*Send thank you notes to anyone who helped support your travel to the conference.

Registration, Travel, & Hotel Information

Early Bird registrationand housing for Midwinter will open October 1, 2013. Early bird registration closes November 6.

Convention Center Information

The majority of the conference will take place in the Pennsylvania Convention Center located at 1101 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107. Some sessions will be held at various hotels, depending on the unit sponsoring them. Detailed location information for sessions will be available in November when the Scheduler opens.

Selected YALSA Events

YALSA Research Forum, 3:00-4:00pm This session introduces an ongoing project of the YALSA Research Committee on curating existing data sets about the lives of young people, and connecting these topics - social media, health, education, literacy, college preparation, and others - to YA library services. Following some brief sharing on the project, participants will gather in break-out groups to explore ways this research relates to young adult programs and services. The session will conclude with a group debriefing.

Saturday, January 25

Selection Committee Chair Leadership Development8:00am, breakfast, meeting 8:30-10am. This is a leadership training session for YALSA's Selection & Award Committee Chairs. All current and out-going Selection & Award Committee Chairs are expected to attend. In-coming Selection & Award Committee Chairs are welcome to attend, but are not required to do so. Directors on YALSA's Board are also expected to attend. Never been a Selection or Award Committee Chair, but thinking about being one? Come to this event to learn the leadership basics for these particular types of committees.

YALSA 201, 8:30-10am Are you a YALSA member who's familiar with the basic programs, services and opportunities that the organization has to offer? Are you interested in becoming more involved in the association or are you ready to step up to a leadership position? If so, this event is designed for you! Come learn how to be more involved!

Best Fiction for Young Adults Teen Session, 1:00pm-3:00pm Come hear local Philadelphia area teens talk about their favorite picks for the 2014 BFYA list.

YALSA Trends Impacting YA Services: Sex, Mind, and Body: How Guys and Girls Search for Health Information, 4:30-5:30pm Hosted by YALSA Past Presidents. Dr. Lesley Farmer coordinates the Teacher Librarian program at California State University Long Beach. Her presentation explores gender issues of teen technology use to find health information and offers recommendations to insure optimal library services to address health information needs of all teens.

YALSA Happy Hour:

Sunday, January 26

Digital Badges Update: A New Way to Learn & Show What you Know, 8:30 - 10:00 AM, This session will show you how the YALSA's Badges for Librarians professional development system works. You'll find out exactly how you can virtually earn badges that connect with YALSA's Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth. You'll also see how you can display your badges on resumes, Facebook pages, and other social networks so that employers, colleagues, and others can easily see what skills you have.

Coffee with the Candidates, 10:30 - 11:30 AM Meet and mingle with the candidates who are on the ballot for the 2013 election, including President-Elect and Board of Directors at Large. Candidates will have the opportunity to talk about why they want to serve on YALSA's Board of Directors and attendees will have the chance to mingle with the candidates and ask questions. Light refreshments and door prizes.

Stand Up, Speak Up, Level Up With YALSA's Advocacy Benchmarks, 1:00-2:30pm Come learn about YALSA's new advocacy benchmarks and give the team developing the materials feedback on what they've put together. The Benchmarks are geared to anyone working with teens in libraries and provide ideas for beginning advocates, advocates with a bit of practice, and those who have a lot of experience in teen advocacy. Come to the session with your own examples and ideas of what you need in order to be a better advocate for teens in your community.

A New Vision for Library Services for Teens: Findings from the Forum on Libraries and Teens, 4:30 - 5:30 PM YALSA’s IMLS-funded National Forum on Teens and Libraries was a year-long effort that brought together key stakeholders from the areas of libraries, education, technology, adolescent development and the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to explore the world of young adults and library services for and with this population. This session will discuss the findings from this process and provide an overview of how libraries need to adapt to better meet the needs of 21st century teens.

Monday January 27

It's the most exciting day in youth literature, as the annual Youth Media Awards are announced, from 8-9:15 AM (eastern) Monday morning. Be there to find out who wins the Printz Award for literary excellence, the Edwards Award for for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature, the Alex Awards, honoring the top ten adult book with youth appeal, the Morris award honoring a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens, YALSA's Nonfiction Award for excellence in nonfiction, and the Odyssey Award for excellence in audiobook production for youth.

Be sure yo get your ticket for the Morris & Nonfiction Award Program & Presentation from 10:30 AM to noon.

Come celebrate the 2014 honorees and winners for the Morris Award and YA Nonfiction Award! Enjoy coffee, tea and danish and listen to the winners and finalists speak about their honored titles. After the speeches, mingle with the authors and pick up free copies of their books. The Morris finalists and Nonfiction finalists were announced the first week of December. Tickets are $19 and include a continental breakfast and 3-5 free books, generously donated by the publishers. Purchase your ticket via the ALA web site.

Finish the day at the ALSC/YALSA Member Reception Light refreshments will be served. Cash bar.

YALSA in the Exhibit Hall

YALSA will host a Teen Tech Week booth #439 in the exhibit hall. Stop by to say hi, get your member ribbon and to find resources to help you plan great DIY activities in your library. To learn more about the exhibit hall, visit ALA's web site.

YALSA Governance at Conference

YALSA's Board of Directors has three meetings at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Board meetings are open meetings and any individual who is registered for the conference may sit in on the meetings. The first 10 minutes of each meeting are set aside for visitors and board members to use as an 'open forum' where anyone can share information, ask questions, etc. The meeting schedule is as follows:

The Board agenda and documents are finalized two weeks prior to the conference and posted online. Anyone interested in viewing the agenda for the Board meeting, as well as the documents that accompany the agenda items, may view or download them from the Governance section of the YALSA web site. To learn about past Board meetings and actions, visit the Governance page on YALSA's web site to read the minutes from past meetings. If you have questions about governance matters or want to share an idea, comment or question, please feel free to contact YALSA'sPresident, or Beth Yoke. To stay up to date on the latest governance and Board issues, check out the YALSAblog. The President will post regular updates during and after the Midwinter Meeting.

Meetings of the Board of Directors are open to all members in good standing who wish to listen and observe proceedings. Members are asked to respect the fact that directors have an agenda to discuss and there may not be time for new business. Members are welcome to sit in the chairs around the perimeter of the room so that directors can be seated together for conversing and vote tallies. Members are welcome to share their comments, ideas, requests, etc. during the “Information Forum” that begins each meeting. If there are a number of guests wanting to speak, it may be necessary to set time limits for speaking. Members may not introduce new topics or speak during the board's general business, unless called upon by the President for input.

YALSA Online at Conference

The official hashtag for the conference is #alamw14. When tweeting about YALSA at the conference, be sure to add @yalsa as well

The YALSAblog will cover some events at the conference. For Tweets related to YALSA's book awards, please use #yma

YALSA Office Area & Staff On-Site

ALA provides an office area to all units where members can go to get badge ribbons, fliers, etc. Location TBD.

Staff are typically not in the office area, but are assisting with the various member programs and meetings.

ALA Events of Interest

Please feel free to add items below:

Local Information

Philadelphia area YALSA members: please help us out and add your favorites below!

Dining Options near the Convention Center

Reading Terminal Market(12th St. & Arch St.)Philadelphia's historic farmer's market is home to a wide variety of merchants. Highlights include DiNic's for their famous roast pork sandwiches and Bassett's Ice Cream.

Want to see it all? Philadelphia CityPASS might be for you. It offers discounted admission to some of Philadelphia's most popular attractions, including The Franklin Institute, Adventure Aquarium, Philadelphia Trolley Works & The Big Bus Company, Philadelphia Zoo or National Constitution Center, and Eastern State Penitentiary or Please Touch Museum.